<p>WPI boasts about their academics and say that many employers see the potential in WPI grads, so why are they ranked above 50 in US News Rankings for Engineering?</p>
<p>Does their unorthodox academic curriculum not fit well with the US News ranking system?
Do they not publish enough research?</p>
<p>I know you shouldn't depend on rankings so much when deciding on a school, but I am just curious as to why WPI is ranked so poorly.</p>
<p>50 out thousands and thousands of schools isn't that bad. Also WPI is the 2nd top engineering school in New England (behind that school in Cambridge).</p>
<p>You got it, civegn! </p>
<p>The school should be ranked higher. Because it's focus is mostly undergraduates, it's not. The schools that top the US News Rankings are research powerhouses, more known for their graduate and professional schools than undergraduate colleges. While WPI is not light on the research, it does not have the enormous output of publications and funds that schools twice its size and triple its budget have, but being considered a national research university and not a liberal arts school, like Harvey Mudd, its continously ranked against the likes of such schools. </p>
<p>That is not to say WPI cannot hold its own against the likes of Harvard, Cornell, MIT. As far as academic value goes, WPI is terrific. Undergraduates will get a good education, and they can strive for the all the best graduate and professional schools. It just depends on the undergraduate.</p>